An early Aoife Herbert goal was enough to give the Mayo Women's League their first ever FAI Women's Senior Challenge Cup against a strong UCD side on Saturday evening.

With a massive vocal following behind them at Richmond Park, Mayo faced heavy pressure for large parts of the game but held on to claim the victory thanks to Herbert's strike.

Going into the game having gone one better than their best placed finish of semi finalists last year, Mayo's early lead was crucial against a side who have dominated Irish women's soccer in recent years.

Following up early snapshots from both sides respectively in the opening ten minutes, Herbert's pace took her away from the UCD defence after a great through ball and she calmly chipped the advancing goalkeeper.

Mayo goalkeeper Yvonne Byrne was lucky to survive a hand ball outside the area minutes later as UCD pushed forward immediately and Karina Kelly saw her long range effort flash wide.

With Herbert and Mullin a constant threat on the break and Gee and Jenkins pulling the strings in the middle for UCD the game swung from end to end.

Jackie Mulligan was unlucky not to double Mayo's lead after half an hour but her close range shot was deflected wide.

Despite flashes of brilliance from the Mayo front players UCD dominated possession for the final twenty minutes of the half but miss-placed passes and last-ditch tackles denied them an equaliser.

Beginning the second half with the same control they ended the first, UCD should have equalised within a minute but the unmarked Sandra Mulhall volleyed wide from six yards.

Midfielder Elaine Cohalan missed another glorious chance two minutes later when she found herself free just three yards out but somehow managed to direct her header away from goal.

Despite a final five minutes spent under siege Mayo held for victory.